Happy Friday EVE! What's everyones plans for the weekend?? Alex will be away (he's "casually" hiking a section of the CDT with his co-workers as part of their Border to Backyard Rally project...they're trying to clean up the colorado section of the CDT) and I've got my first official "long run" of my Vegas Marathon Training Cycle on Saturday (a 10 mile progression run)! But other than that, I'm not really sure! I'd really love to make it to the pool to swim either Saturday or Sunday because I haven't been in a few weeks and maybe baking something delicious (thinking something smores-related sounds pretty amazing)? Any tasty dessert recommendations you have for me to make? I'd really also like to get in a hike this weekend, but not really sure where. 

SO, I've previously put it out there that I'm going for a BQ in 2020 ((to run the Boston Marathon in 2020, so I'd need to qualify before September 2019) because that's right before my 30th Birthday) and I wanted to share with you some of the changes that I'm making during THIS marathon training cycle to set me up for success come 2019! I think that qualifying (for me) will not happen overnight and It won't happen if I just train for a 3:30 marathon, I've got to make some other SMALLER changes to help bring some BIG results.

• Incorporating Yoga 1 x a week --> Yoga helps stretch me out, release stress, and prevent injuries when your muscles get too tight from running so many miles
• Strength Training 3 x a week --> When my mileage ramps up, I want to still be consistent with my strength training because you can't just expect to run more and still gain muscle
• Intuitive eating --> This is a new one for me, but I'm already seeing big differences in how I feel each day! I let my cravings guide my choices and eat more often (on the regular), so I never have the feeling that I need to "overeat" because I always know I'll be eating again in another 2-3 hours. If I'm craving salt --> I eat something salty (normally I find that that's our bodies way of telling us that it needs something)
• Progression Long Runs --> focusing on getting those negative-splits come race day
• Tempo Runs in the early evening --> to help prepare for and simulate race day (this also includes eating (relatively) the same thing that I would be on race day!

What's your favorite type of cookie? -->probably chocolate chip right from the oven! yummm...

What are somethings you're doing different in your next training plan?

Ever done a thru-hike or section of one? --> I never have, but I LOVE reading thru-hiker books